9.15 Miles
0 - 9.15
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2021
Good
Iowa
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Smith Conley is a Class II trout stream for all but the upper most reach, which is limited forage fishery. We assume the water quality to be good, but sediment carried in runoff may degrading the stream (WDNR, 1992-931). The Ridgeway wastewater treatment plant discharges its treated wastewater effluent to the headwaters reach of the creek (Schlesser, 198835).
Date 2009
Author Aquatic Biologist
Overview
This cold water stream begins as warm water seepage, but shortly after receives most of its water from springs. It is a Class II trout stream for most of its length. Brown trout continue to be stocked in the creek. The lower end of the stream where it enters the East Branch of the Pecatonica River contains a hard bottom with a variety of riffles, pools, and runs. A baseline survey, conducted in 2001, showed the presence of good numbers of brown trout with a cold water index of biotic integrity from fair to good. The village of Ridgeway discharges to the headwaters of the creek but this apparently does not affect the presence of trout.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Smith Conley Creek was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
Condition
Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.
Reports
Management Goals
Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable
Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.
Monitoring
Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.
Grants and Management Projects
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10008171 | Smith-Conley Creek At Cth K [Station 1] | 10/20/1980 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031762 | Smith Conley Creek upstream of Ridgeway WWTF 300 M West of CTH H and Rock Rd. | 8/30/2010 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10040607 | Smith Conley Creek 0.9 mi S of Rock Rd | 6/4/2005 | 9/10/2005 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10014263 | Smith Conley Creek-.5 Miles Downstream Of Prairie Rd | 11/27/2019 | 11/27/2019 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10015141 | Smith Conley Creek- (Cth K) | 11/28/2006 | 10/11/2021 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031320 | Smith Conley McGraw Farm Rd. | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031462 | Smith Conley Creek 300 ft W of County H .25 mile S of Rock Rd. | 7/21/2010 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 253096 | Smith Conley Creek - Cth K | | | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031321 | Smith Conley St. #2 | | | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10012856 | Smith Conley Creek - Prairie Rd | 11/9/2001 | 11/27/2019 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10014261 | Smith Conley Creek-Village Of Ridgeway Property | 10/12/2006 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031317 | Smith Conley St. #1 | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914200 | Unnamed | 10031360 | Unnamed Trib (914200) to Smith Conley 25m US | | | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10037975 | Smith Conley ~ 1320ft DS of Prairie Rd. | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10008172 | Smith-Conley Creek Station 2 | | | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10016138 | Smith-Conley Creek 0.01 Miles West of Confluence with Unnamed Creek | 11/9/2001 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10058133 | Smith Conley Cr ~2000M US CTH H (Bennetts) | | | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10015142 | Smith Conley Creek - (Cth K) | 4/23/1980 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10015252 | Smith Conley Creek - General Survey/Prairie Road | 7/20/2015 | 7/20/2015 | Map | Data |
| 914100 | Smith Conley Creek | 10031361 | Smith-Conley (914100) off McGraw Farms | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Smith Conley Creek is located in the Upper East Branch Pecatonica River watershed which is 140.18 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily grassland (52.10%), agricultural (22.10%) and a mix of forest (20.70%) and other uses (5.10%). This watershed has 395.65 stream miles, 61.72 lake acres and 834.33 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.
Smith-Conley Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater under the state's Natural Community Determinations.
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.
Cool (Cold-Transition) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent,
mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.
Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.